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How to get a scholarship for basketball in america
Basketball Scholarships | How to Get a Basketball Scholarship
Most college basketball players currently on scholarship got started with the recruiting process very early. Basketball players should begin the recruiting process by the time they are in the 9th grade and should be continually checking-in with coaches throughout high school so that coaches can watch their development. Learn more about the steps to take to get a basketball scholarship.
QUICK LINKS
How to Get a Basketball Scholarship
How Tall Do I Need to Be to Play College Basketball
How Many Basketball Scholarships are Offered
How to Get Recruited for Basketball
NCAA Basketball Scholarships
College Basketball Academic Requirements
How to Get Scouted for Basketball
College Basketball Camps and Showcases
How Many College Basketball Programs are There
When is National Signing Day for Basketball
How to Get a Basketball Scholarship
Here are some quick tips on how to get a basketball scholarship:
Start the process early
Practice talking with college coaches
Have a great video to share
Visit as many schools as you can
Research the schools you want to attend
Improve your grades
Provide multiple references
Don’t miss deadlines
There are over 1 million men’s and women’s high school basketball players in the USA and thousands more internationally.
Can You Get a Basketball Scholarship from AAU?
AAU basketball teams should be treated as a required ‘step’ toward that direction (much like taking advantage of the benefits a recruiting service can provide). It’s no secret, college scouts do follow high school athletes playing AAU basketball showcases so being a part of this process can assist you in getting noticed.
There are different levels of AAU teams to consider. Those basketball teams which focus on traveling nationwide for several summer tournaments will require you pay more than those teams which focus on a more local or regional AAU tournament schedule. In addition to you paying a fee to cover the cost of team uniforms, warm-ups and practice court costs, you and your parents should also budget for the cost of gasoline, meals and lodging related to any out-of-town games/tournaments.
Can You Play Basketball Without a Scholarship?
If you are thinking of playing college basketball for a powerhouse team in NCAA Division 1 without being offered an athletic scholarship by college recruiters the chances are very slim. From time to time big schools such as these will have a tradition of having ‘tryouts’ for 1-2 walk-ons, but you must understand if you would become such a walk-on there is a chance you would never see any actual playing time.
NCAA Division 2 and NAIA colleges and universities offer partial scholarships and are more readily acceptable to bringing in walk-ons to compete for roster spots. Also, as a walk-on you could work your way into gaining partial scholarships (partial tuition payment, books or meals, e.g.) the next year as these scholarship awards are reviewed by the college coaches and recruiters on a yearly basis. You may also decide to play at a NCAA Division 3 school, which under NCAA guidelines are not permitted to offer athletic scholarships.
How Many Basketball Scholarships Are Given Each Year?
If you have a desire to have a college basketball recruiter offer you a scholarship to play NCAA Division 1 basketball, you’re not alone. Nearly 4,500 players are on scholarship at the Division 1 men’s level while there are over 5,000 women basketball players with full rides to play college hoops.
NCAA Basketball Scholarships Limits
The NCAA requires universities and colleges at the D1 level to offer only ‘full’ scholarships in men’s and women’s basketball. Men’s programs are restricted to 13 scholarships while women’s program rosters have 15 full scholarship players. An interesting point for you to know about full scholarship awards at the NJCAA (Junior College) D1 level is the total offering includes transportation costs one time per year to and from the college by direct route. NCAA D2 and NAIA may offer full or partial scholarship monies to college basketball recruits. While NCAA Division 3 schools are not permitted to offer athletic scholarships you can also benefit from earning academic and merit scholarships available to all students registering to attend those institutions.
# of Scholarships Limit per Team
Avg. Amount of Scholarship
Division
Men’s
Women’s
Men’s
Women’s
NCAA I
13
15
$16,154
$17,114
NCAA II
10
10
$6,329
$7,650
NCAA III*
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
NAIA
11
11
$7,329
$7,762
NJCAA
15
15
$2,479
$3,002
The table above shows college basketball scholarships offered at the NCAA Division 1, NCAA Division 2, NJCAA, and NAIA levels.
Basketball Scouting: What do college basketball scouts look for in a player?
You must be aware there are several factors which college basketball recruiters consider before thinking of offering a student-athlete a basketball scholarship. Believe it or not, it all starts on the ability to find you. There are many ways to locate a potential basketball scholarship player:
Getting players listed and profiled by recruiting services.
Receiving recommendations from high school or club coaches.
Searching Twitter for players of interest to competing colleges.
Attending AAU Showcases & University-run camps.
Do YOU Fit the College Basketball Recruiter’s Player Traits?
Basketball scholarship monies are carefully handed out by college recruiters so each will carefully weigh numerous aspects involving you play. Are you tall your position at the college level? Are you finished growing? Is your body frame able to add more weight through college basketball conditioning programs? These are all ‘physically-related’ questions basketball recruiters are thinking about when they come to see you play or start watching the video your recruiting service has provided them.
To answer on-court questions, basketball recruiters and coaches will create a checklist regarding your skills. For each part of the checklist, college coaches/recruiters will score you as being Strong, Fair, or Weak. You will be rated for: Boxing Out, Offensive Rebounder, Ball Handling, 1-on-1 Offense, Penetrator, Passing Skills, Quickness, Defense (on the ball), Defense (Away from ball), Spot Shooter, Free Throw Shooter, Aggressiveness, Leadership and Attitude.
Don’t forget your grades – including Overall Grade Point Average and ACT/SAT scores. Be sure you take the college entrance tests, and re-take them if you score poorly. The NCAA Eligibility Center guidelines are for prospective D1 and D2 student-athletes to follow. Strong grades are also important for D3 schools as academic scholarships are available for incoming athletes meeting the award criteria.
When Does Recruiting Begin?
Top collegiate programs will start sending basketball recruiters to watch you as early as when you are in middle school – IF YOU ARE A TOP-TIER TALENT.
How Many College Basketball Teams Are There?
Here is the total number of basketball programs at each division level.
Men’s Basketball Programs
There are approximately 1,844 men’s basketball teams in total.
There are 344 NCAA division 1 teams in men’s basketball.
There are 282 NCAA division 2 teams in men’s basketball.
There are 403 NCAA division 3 teams in men’s basketball.
There are 255 NAIA teams in men’s basketball.
There are 560 NJCAA teams in men’s basketball.
Women’s Basketball Programs
There are approximately 1,834 women’s basketball teams in total.
There are 335 NCAA division 1 teams in women’s basketball.
There are 298 NCAA division 2 teams in women’s basketball.
There are 426 NCAA division 3 teams in women’s basketball.
There are 256 NAIA teams in women’s basketball.
There are 519 NJCAA teams in women’s basketball.
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The Average Height of College Basketball Players
These are the general guidelines for size requirements coaches look for in a basketball player. If you fall outside of these marks it doesn’t mean you can’t play at that level only that it might be more difficult.
Men’s Basketball
NCAA D1
NCAA D2
NCAA D3/NAIA
NJCAA
Point Guard
6’1+
6’0+
5’10+
5’9+
Shooting Guard
6’3+
6’2+
6’0+
5’10+
Small Forward
6’5+
6’4+
6’3+
6’3+
Power Forward
6’7+
6’6+
6’5+
6’4+
Center
6’9+
6’8+
6’7+
6’6+
The average height of a men’s basketball player is 6’3”.
Women’s Basketball
NCAA D1
NCAA D2
NCAA D3/NAIA
NJCAA
Point Guard
5’8”+
5’6”+
5’5”+
5’6”+
Shooting Guard
5’10”+
5’8”+
5’6”+
5’8”+
Small Forward
5’11”+
5’10”+
5’8”+
5’9”+
Power Forward
6’0+
5’11”+
5’9”+
5’10”+
Center
6’2”+
6’0”+
5’11”+
5’11”+
The average height of a women’s basketball player is 5’6’”.
College Basketball Camps and Showcases
Do you know the difference between a basketball camp and a basketball showcase?
Basketball camps are summer camps run by colleges at all levels which have a basketball program. If you are serious about playing for a specific team, it is a great idea to attend one or more of these summer camps. Here’s why:
You will be learning the game of basketball from established college coaches. These coaches may teach you something you haven’t learned from your high school or AAU coaches.
Exposure – You get the opportunity to show you basketball skills to coaches who may not have heard of you. This exposure is not just to the coaches from the college where the camp is being held. Many times, especially with larger universities, outside coaches (from NCAA D2, D3 or NAIA, e.g.) will be hired to assist as camp coaches due to the sheer number of campers in attendance.
Athlete interaction – You will get to talk with athletes from other high schools or AAU teams. It could result in moving onto a better summer league team or gaining insight about recruiting experiences.
Showcases are events held, mostly during the summer, where you can play with other prospective college basketball recruits and display your court talents to college recruiters in attendance. While pricey this may be considered an investment for your desire to play basketball at the collegiate level. Most of these events will offer video of your games to assist in your recruiting process. Aside from possibly playing in front of college basketball recruiters, you will also get a better handle on your overall skills as you may be facing better competition than you do during your high school season.
Get more information about College Basketball Camps.
Choosing a college basketball camp can be a little difficult for you at first, but here are some tips to think about before making a final decision. You have to ask yourself the reason you want to attend a basketball camp.
When is National Signing Day for Basketball?
National Letter of Intent, or National Signing Day as it’s more commonly called, is the specific time when you as student-athlete will decide which scholarship offer you will accept from a college basketball recruiter. For NCAA D1 schools, the next signing day is April 17, 2019 through May 15, 2019. The next period is November 13-20. If you are offered a ‘letter of intent’ you will have seven days to sign and return it to the university’s basketball department. The signed agreement means you will commit to playing for that college for at least one year. The college must also let you know each year if the scholarship has been extended. Even if you sign the letter of intent, you must also be able to meet all of the admissions requirements of the school before actually attending classes. Before signing, you need to be certain this is the school you want to attend. If you request a release from the agreement it may or may not be approved by the university.
Athnet is here to help you in your desire to play basketball at the collegiate level.
Through our many resources – including our website, free online profiles and various partnerships – we will provide you, the college recruit, as well as your family, easy-to-understand advice and subsequent resources to catch the attention from college recruiters. Recruiting and scholarship advice comes to you from our knowledgeable company representatives as each of them carries the experience of a former college coach or player. Your online presence is really a great way to start your recruiting experience. Did you know the vast majority (90%) of college recruiters start the process with an online search of student-athletes?
Build your free recruiting profile today!
420 thousand coaches are in our network of college recruiters and they will be looking at your latest video and statistics included in your profile. Don’t miss out on your chance to get the ‘early’ looks from college recruiters.
How women’s basketball started
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Men’s Basketball Scholarships | How to Get a Basketball Scholarship
Less than one percent of high school athletes will go on to play NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball—but we already knew the competition was tough. Even though the odds of landing a scholarship are slim, it isn’t impossible. There are several competitive opportunities, from NCAA Division 1 to JUCO programs, where athletic scholarships are available. Division 1 college coaches offer headcount scholarships, meaning each player gets a full ride. NCAA Division 2, NAIA and JUCO programs, on the other hand, award equivalency scholarships. Coaches at these levels have a pool of athletic aid and they can distribute it to as many athletes as they want, so student-athletes could get partial scholarships. And while Division 3 college coaches can’t offer athletic scholarships, they still provide appealing financial packages that can cover a bulk of college costs.
Quick Links
NCAA basketball scholarships by division level
How to get a basketball scholarship
What are the odds of getting a basketball scholarship?
Can you play college basketball without a scholarship?
How many scholarships are available for men’s D1 basketball?
How to get a Division 1 basketball scholarship
Division 2 men’s basketball scholarships
Division 3 men’s basketball scholarships
NAIA men’s basketball scholarships
JUCO men’s basketball scholarships
Basketball scholarship requirements
Best colleges for basketball scholarships
How many full ride scholarships for basketball?
NCAA basketball scholarships by division level
Division Level
Number of Teams
Total Athletes
Average Team Size
Scholarships Limit Per Team
Scholarship Limit Type
NCAA D1
353
5,522
16
13
Headcount
NCAA D2
313
5,251
17
10
Equivalency
NCAA D3
446
7,767
18
–
N/A
NAIA D1
93
1,864
20
11
Equivalency
NAIA D2
137
2,752
21
6
Equivalency
Other 4 year
92
1,394
15
–
N/A
JUCO
430
6,352
15
15
Equivalency
Other 2 year
145
1,988
14
–
N/A
Totals
2,009
32,890
17
When it comes to basketball scholarships, it’s important to understand the difference between a headcount scholarship and an equivalency scholarship. In NCAA Division 1, student-athletes receive headcount scholarships, which are full rides. In other words, coaches award exactly 13 full ride scholarships to 13 athletes, and they can’t distribute that money any other way. At the Division 2, NAIA and JUCO levels, college coaches offer equivalency scholarships. Coaches are given a pool of scholarship funds and they can distribute it to as many athletes as they want. Therefore, depending on the program, some athletes will receive partial scholarships at these levels.
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How to get a basketball scholarship
Every coach has a specific set of criteria they look for when recruiting student-athletes. Here are the most important aspects you should keep in mind as you search for scholarships:
Compete at the highest level possible: To accurately assess a recruit’s ability to compete in college, coaches want to see them play against high-ranked recruits from across the country. That’s why AAU is so popular among top-tier programs—it provides recruits with a chance to play at the national level. However, this level of AAU is the most expensive as recruits are often required to travel to several tournaments. While club basketball can help, it isn’t a necessary requirement to securing a scholarship. Varsity high school teams can also offer great competitive opportunities.
Compete in the summer during live periods: Scheduling conflicts make it difficult for college coaches to watch recruits play in-person during the regular season. So, they turn to live periods. These stretches in the offseason allow coaches to hit the road and scout several players at once. Bottom line: playing in front of college coaches in the summer is essential.
Attend elite camps: In addition to tournaments, college coaches also evaluate recruits at elite camps. These events, which can be invitation only, attract top talent and college coaches from across the country. There’s one caveat—camps at a Division 1 school tend to invite Division 2 or 3 coaches to attend, as well, but more likely than not, no other Division 1 programs will be in attendance. Make sure to attend camps at schools that are at the top of the target list.
Excel academically. Grades and test scores matter to college coaches. First, for divisions that offer equivalency scholarships, academic aid can ease the burden on the coach to provide athletic aid. More importantly, it speaks to a recruit’s character. Coaches know that students who work hard in the classroom are responsible, independent and will have a smoother college transition than those who don’t.
Create a highlight film. The best way to secure an in-depth and in-person evaluation is by sending coaches highlight and game film. Highlight film acts as a first impression—it’s a quick way to show coaches a snapshot of the recruit’s skill set.
Be proactive. Despite what families may think, coaches don’t simply discover recruits. Unless they’re one of the very best players in the country, recruits need to do some work to get noticed by college coaches. This is especially important in basketball where student-athletes are still allowed to talk to coaches via phone when they’re the ones initiating the contact. Don’t sit around: research, email and call coaches.
Know your best college fit. Lastly, don’t forget to visit the college roster for every team on your target list. The last thing families want to do is waste their time emailing coaches at schools that aren’t a good fit. Here are a few things student-athletes should look at: the players who are in their position (are they seniors who are graduating?), athletic stats (how do they measure up?) and backgrounds (does the coach recruit from a particular region or tournament?)
What are the odds of getting a basketball scholarship?
In short: It isn’t easy, but it isn’t impossible either. From NCAA Division 1 to JUCO, there are 32,890 men’s basketball athletes across 2,009 programs. The odds of a high school basketball player making a Division 1 basketball roster is 105:1, and the odds of a high school basketball player making any college roster is 18:1.
Division 1 basketball is a headcount sport—so coaches have exactly 13 full-ride scholarships that they can award to 13 players. Division 2 is an equivalency sport, so coaches can award full scholarships or divide their funds and offer partial scholarships across athletes. If we break it down to these two NCAA divisions, it comes out to 10,773 athletes competing for 7,719 scholarships. From an NAIA perspective, we’re talking 4,616 athletes competing for 1,845 basketball scholarships. JUCO offers the most opportunity as these programs can award a maximum of 15 scholarships per team and the average team size is 15 players.
Can you play college basketball without a scholarship?
Yes, but it is very unlikely. Basketball players on NCAA Division 1 teams who aren’t on a scholarship are called walk-ons. Some Division 1 schools hold tryouts where they bring on one to two walk-ons. But these players typically never see any actual playing time. Plus, recruits could be competing against an athlete who already has an established relationship with the college coach—some coaches will recruit walk-ons for their team, known as a “preferred walk-on.”
NCAA Division 2, NAIA programs and JUCO colleges are more willing to allow walk-ons to compete for roster spots—and even earn a scholarship. For example, a student-athlete could walk on to a Division 2 program their freshman year and then earn a scholarship the next year and year after as these coaches award partial scholarships and renew them on a yearly basis.
How many scholarships are available for men’s D1 basketball?
Division 1 men’s basketball scholarships per team: 13
Total # of men’s basketball teams: 353
Avg. team size: 16
NCAA Division 1 scholarships are hard to come by. Less than one percent of high school athletes will compete at this level. Each Division 1 men’s basketball program can award 13 full athletic scholarships. These scholarships, called headcount scholarships, cover all college costs, including tuition, housing, books, etc. After the 13 scholarships have been handed out, additional athletes can walk on to the team, but aren’t eligible for athletic aid.
How to get a D1 basketball scholarship
The first thing you need to know about NCAA Division 1 scholarships is that coaches recruit early. And we mean early—in some cases middle school. So, if a student-athlete is looking to land a Division 1 scholarship, they need to be on a coach’s radar before their junior year. Then, obviously, they need to be good. These are the best collegiate basketball players across the country and coaches are extremely selective when offering athletic scholarships. Elite Division 1 athletes rank nationally, such as making the ESPN Top 150 list. Less than one percent of high school athletes go on to play Division 1 basketball.
Division 1 coaches typically find top recruits through AAU club teams as they roster top talent and compete nationally. But AAU ball is by no means the required path to competing in college outside of Division 1. Playing in tournaments over the summer is an important way to getting coach exposure. Another option is to attend an elite camp hosted by the college. In this case, families want to make sure they’re picking camps where the student-athlete is a good fit athletically and academically to maximize their chances of being evaluated. Remember that academics do matter to college coaches. The higher a recruit’s GPA and test scores, the more doors that will open for them.
Most importantly, student-athletes need to be proactive. They should create a highlight film, obtain game film and create an online profile showcasing their stats and academic information. Then—and we can’t reiterate this enough—they need to contact college coaches. Send them an introductory email, follow up when it’s relevant and let coaches know when they’ll be calling. Basketball is unique in that student-athletes and coaches can talk via phone when the recruit initiates the contact. So, coaches aren’t allowed to call recruits, but if the student-athlete puts the work in and reaches out to them by phone, coaches can talk to them. If student-athletes aren’t hearing back, they might be reaching out to programs that aren’t an athletic fit. This is when families can lean on their high school or club coach to help them build a list of realistic target schools.
How many Division 2 men’s basketball scholarships are there?
Maximum scholarships available per team: 10
Total # of D2 men’s basketball teams: 313
Avg. team size: 17
NCAA Division 2 coaches are allowed to award a maximum of 10 men’s basketball scholarships per team. Unlike NCAA Division 1, these are equivalency scholarships: college coaches receive a pool of athletic aid and they decide how many athletes receive athletic scholarships. Therefore, some players will be offered partial scholarships instead of full rides.
Division 3 men’s basketball scholarships
Maximum scholarships available per team: 0
Total # of D3 men’s basketball teams: 446
Avg. team size: 18
It’s true that NCAA Division 3 schools can’t offer athletic scholarships. However, they do leverage other types of aid the recruit might qualify for, such as academic scholarships, merit-based aid and grants, to create a competitive scholarship package. Division 3 is mostly made up of small private schools, so they tend to have these kinds of funds readily available. In fact, 82 percent of all Division 3 athletes receive some form of aid. Student-athletes with high test scores and a strong GPA will benefit the most from Division 3 scholarships.
NAIA basketball scholarships
Division 1
Maximum scholarships available per team: 11
Total # of NAIA D1 men’s basketball teams: 93
Avg. team size: 20
Division 2
Maximum scholarships available per team: 6
Total # of NAIA D2 men’s basketball teams: 137
Avg. team size: 21
There are currently two basketball divisions within NAIA and they each award their own maximum number of scholarships. NAIA Division 1 offers 11 scholarships per team, while NAIA Division 2 offers six per team. However, the NAIA is set to combine these two divisions beginning with the 2020-21 school year, and at this time, each team can award up to eight scholarships. Furthermore, the NAIA will continue using the equivalency model where coaches receive athletic funds and decide how to distribute scholarships among athletes. Typically, to make the most of their recruiting efforts, coaches award multiple athletes on their team with partial scholarships. That does mean, however, that some student-athletes need to supplement with other types of aid, such as academic scholarships and need-based aid.
JUCO men’s basketball scholarships
Maximum scholarships available per team: 15
Total # of NJCAA men’s basketball teams: 430
Avg. team size: 15
Junior college is not as cut and dry when it comes to men’s basketball scholarships. First, it depends on the division. There are three divisions within the NJCAA, and only Division 1 and 2 can offer athletic scholarships to basketball players. Even more, Division 1 is the only division that can offer a full ride. Division 2 is allowed to cover tuition, fees and books, but they can’t pay for housing. In addition to an athletic scholarship, both divisions will pay for an athlete’s transportation costs to and from the college by direct route once per year.
Basketball scholarship requirements
Every potential NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 college-athlete is required to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center and submit their transcripts and SAT/ACT test scores and answer questions pertaining to their amateur status. In order to secure a roster spot and athletic scholarship, student-athletes must meet the academic requirements and be cleared by the Eligibility Center.
While the requirements differ slightly between Division 1 and Division 2, the overall method for determining eligibility is the same: student-athletes must pass 16 core courses throughout high school, maintain a minimum GPA in these core courses and pass the NCAA Sliding Scale. Learn more about the specific Eligibility Center requirements to better understand the GPA and test scores you need to qualify.
What are the best colleges for basketball scholarships?
The key to securing a basketball scholarship is finding college programs that are the best athletic fit. Think about it this way—coaches are going to prioritize scholarships to their strongest players, so student-athletes need to find programs where they can make an impact right away. If a recruit’s athletic ability doesn’t quite match up, the coach is less inclined to offer a scholarship opportunity.
To help you in your search, we’ve compiled a list of the best colleges for basketball scholarships across all the division levels. Recruits interested in these programs should visit the team’s roster to determine if they’re an athletic fit and learn more about the coach’s recruiting method, such as which areas they recruit in. Here’s a look into the best colleges within each level:
Top men’s basketball colleges: University of North Carolina, UCLA, Stanford University, University of Michigan, University of Florida, University of Virginia, Princeton University, Duke University, University of California, Harvard University.
Top D1 men’s basketball colleges: University of North Carolina, UCLA, Stanford University, University of Michigan, University of Florida, University of Virginia, Princeton University, Duke University, University of California, Harvard University.
Top D2 men’s basketball colleges: University of California—San Diego, Bentley University, Point Loma Nazarene University, California State Polytechnic University—Pomona, Rollins College, Bellarmine University, California State University—Chico, Western Washington University, Truman State University, Grand Valley State University.
Top D3 men’s basketball colleges: John Hopkins University, Emory University, Amherst College, University of California—Santa Cruz, California Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Hamilton College, Pomona-Pitzer College, University of Chicago, Trinity University—Texas.
NAIA: Asbury University, University of Michigan—Dearborn, Concordia University—Nebraska, St. Ambrose University, Bethel University—Indiana, Aquinas College—Michigan, College of the Ozarks, Loyola University New Orleans, Taylor University, Indiana Wesleyan University.
JUCO (according to the NJCAA): Florida SouthWestern State (FL), Vincennes (IN), Coffeyville (KS), Ranger (TX), John A. Logan (IL), Casper (WY), Odessa (TX), Northwest Florida State (FL), Chipola (FL), South Plains (TX)
How many full ride scholarships for basketball are there?
In NCAA Division 1 basketball, coaches can offer a maximum of 13 scholarships per team. These are called headcount scholarships, also known as full-ride scholarships. The average NCAA Division 1 team rosters 16 athletes, so there might be three players on the team who walked on and don’t qualify for athletic aid.
At the Division 2, NAIA and JUCO levels, college coaches award equivalency scholarships. This means they can distribute their allocated athletic aid to as many players as they wish. Therefore, you’ll often find student-athletes on partial scholarships, especially at the D2 and NAIA levels. Even though JUCO programs offer equivalency scholarships, they receive a maximum 15 per team, which usually means athletes receive close to full-ride scholarships here.
However, not all college basketball programs are fully funded. For example, a Division 2 coach is allowed to offer a maximum of 10 scholarships per team, but their budget may only allow for seven. So the best way to fully understand your financial aid package opportunities is to connect directly with a college coach at a program you’re interested in—and the same goes for Division 3. Even though D3 coaches can’t award athletic scholarships, they can still work with the admissions department to create appealing aid packages for student-athletes.
Basketball school in the USA: how to get an athletic scholarship
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Basketball school in the USA: how to get an athletic scholarship
Even with basic information about the "peculiarities of national education" in America, it is easy to conclude that education in the States is an expensive pleasure. Despite this, it is in the United States that people tend to come not only for academic knowledge, but also for a sports career.
Studying at a basketball school in the United States opens up truly great prospects for a promising athlete (one of our students called these prospects "enchanting"). Even before planning a budget for education, you can try to get a so-called sports scholarship to study in the country of your dreams. A sports scholarship can cover up to 100% of the cost of education.
Not sure where to start? Let's follow together!
1. Decide on an educational institution.
Education in the United States is represented by a fairly large number of institutions: foreigners are accepted by private schools in the country and its universities. The American school is a full-fledged twelve years of study, often supplemented by the Post Graduate Year, so among high school students you can meet not only teenagers, but also almost adult young people.
The best option for a foreign student is a two-year so-called Junior College or Prep Year at school, since entrance exams are not required for admission.
2. Prepare Highlights + Summary.
This is a short game video for a basketball school in the USA, accompanied by a concise story about your personal academic and athletic achievements. The video is your presentation for American coaches, so the Highlights format is cuts from the most striking moments from training and games. So the movie will look the most advantageous.
Prepare a comprehensive resume that lists your age, measurements (height and weight), and position on the basketball court. Write down your achievements by points (for example, a member of the regional team, the champion of the country in 2000 among young men). Good academic performance will be a significant plus, since the American coach is always interested in players with good academic grades.
3. Contact the trainer. Or better yet, coaches.
Have the courage to offer yourself as an athlete to a specific coach. It is most logical to contact him directly: schools and colleges in the United States leave the contacts of their coaches in the public domain on official websites in the appropriate sections. An important point: it should be remembered that there are a lot of people who want to get a scholarship, so coaches receive dozens, if not hundreds, of such letters a day. Therefore, you should not bet on one specialist.
Let's say your option is a basketball school in the USA, in the state of California. Take the state High school list, get the contacts of the coaches and send them your materials. Even if only a third of your requests are answered, you are guaranteed to receive interesting funding proposals. This is especially true for really promising young players.
Our advice: good trainers are found in sports summer camps operated by the Exposure Camps program - consider this option as an alternative.
What is a basketball school in the USA?
Studying at High school involves an independent choice of the subjects studied, in addition to the compulsory general education (mathematics, English, history and, of course, physical education), as well as the preparation of an individual schedule. The main requirement is to collect the required number of hours for each of the groups of disciplines. Thus, students of different grades of higher education can sit in one lesson.
The basketball season is traditionally held from November to March, and the number of games and potential rival teams are determined by the sports level of the school itself. A "strong" school (Oak Hill Academy, Findlay prep) can have up to 45 games per season. Often an additional, so-called "summer" season (AAU season) is held, when the players do not represent schools, but teams formed from the leading athletes of the city or state. College coaches select players during both the official games of the season and during the AAU season. The time of their communication is regulated by the recruiting rules in college basketball.
If you are planning a sports career in the States and would like to start it by studying at one of the basketball schools, go straight to us. We are confident that we can fully support you along this path.
Creation date: 12/25/2017 18:34:58
Sports scholarships at US universities
Sports scholarships from the US university are an opportunity to get a higher education in the States for free or almost free , while simultaneously doing your favorite sport at the highest level.
Sports are an important part of the American education system. Each institution of higher education in the United States provides its wards with the opportunity not only for intellectual, but also for physical development. Students are offered fully equipped sports and gyms, stadiums, tennis courts, golf courses, swimming pools and other elements of sports infrastructure.
I must say that the attitude to physical education in US universities is more than serious. Students do not just periodically visit the pool or make a circle or two on the treadmill, they purposefully go in for this or that kind of sport, participate in interuniversity competitions, win prizes.
By the way, university team competitions are a big source of income for educational institutions. Let's say tickets for intercollegiate football games cost between $50 and $100. Both students and local residents come to watch the competitions.
However, for university games to be successful with spectators, participating teams must demonstrate a high level of professionalism. In other words, universities need strong athletes. That is why part of the money earned from competitions goes to provide sports scholarships at universities.
Since higher education in the US costs a lot of money, scholarships that fully or partially cover the cost of education are a great way to attract to the university those guys who excelled in the sports field in school, which means that in the future they will be able to glorify their alma mater .
33 sports in 1500 US universities
There are 33 sports for which you can get an athletic scholarship in the USA:
Acrobatics
Archery
Badminton
Baseball
Basketball
Beach volleyball
Bowling
Cross-country running
Cycling
Equestrian
Fencing
Field hockey
American football
Golf
Artistic gymnastics
Hockey
Lacrosse
Rifle shooting
Rodeo
Kayaking and canoeing
Rugby
Sailing
Skis
European football
Softball
Squash
Swimming
Tennis
Athletics
Triathlon
Volleyball
Water polo
Freestyle wrestling
Approximately 1,500 higher education institutions participate in the Athletic Scholarship Program in the United States.
Athletic Scholarship Benefits
There are two types of Athletic Scholarships in the USA:
The full ride scholarship covers the student athlete's expenses not only for university studies, but also for meals and accommodation. In some cases, the full ride scholarship includes the cost of insurance.
Partial Athletic Scholarship (partial scholarship) covers tuition costs (either 100% or 50-90%). The student pays for accommodation and meals on his own.
The amount of the scholarship is determined individually based on the level of sports and academic training of the applicant.
In addition to the obvious benefit of financial support, a sports scholarship provides a number of other benefits:
Unlike an ordinary applicant from Russia, an athlete does not need to spend time and money on preparatory courses to make up for the missing year of schooling. A certificate of 11 classes of education is enough to get a sports scholarship and enter an American university.
The requirements for SAT and TOEFL results for athletes are lower than for other students, which greatly simplifies the admission procedure. For example, at the University of Miami, an ordinary student must pass SAT for 1200-1300 points, TOEFL for 80 points, an athlete - SAT for 700-900 points, TOEFL for 60-70 points. GPA for an ordinary student is 3.5-4.0 points, for an athlete - 2.8-3.5 points.
For both full and partial scholarships, the costs of sports at the university (equipment from the best sports manufacturers such as Nike and Adidas; personal nutritionist; trips to away games, etc.) are paid by the athletic department of the university.
Participation in guest games is a great opportunity to travel around the US and get to know the culture of the country better. During the breaks between competitions and trainings, athletes will have a rich cultural program: excursions to historical sights, visits to museums, restaurants. All this is again at the expense of the university.
How do I get an athletic scholarship to study at a US university?
Requirements for candidates applying for an athletic scholarship at an American university differ depending on the age of the athlete.
Sports scholarship requirements
Athlete age
Required documents
Tests
Sports achievements
15-18 years old (10-11 grade students, college students)
Certificate for grade 11 Grades for grades 8-11 Certificate for grade 9*
SAT TOEFL
Athletic summary by sport
Video*
National and international athlete ratings
18-20 years old Students of Russian universities (1-3 courses)
Certificate from the university about the subjects taken (only exam courses
TOEFL
* -Sometimes required
US universities have the following requirements for athletic scholarship applicants:
Age
The American Collegiate Athletic Associations - NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association), NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics), NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association), who control university competitions, do not formally set age limits for athletes. However, in practice, it is quite difficult for a student over 23 years old to receive a scholarship. The optimal age of the applicant is from 15 to 20 years. We highly recommend you start looking for a scholarship in 2 years before graduation or in the 1-2 year of study at a Russian university - this significantly increases the chances of finding the best option and calmly preparing for passing all the necessary tests.
Knowledge of English
For a foreigner, a prerequisite for admission to an American university is a good knowledge of English. Universities accept TOEFL test results as documentary evidence of language proficiency. As mentioned above, the passing scores for athletes, as a rule, are lower than for all other applicants - this greatly facilitates the admission process.
Academic performance
US universities are interested in the academic performance of an athlete - however, the requirements for an athlete's grades are much softer than for the GPA of an ordinary applicant. From a graduate of a Russian school, you will need the result of the SAT academic test, a certificate, as well as a list of grades for grades 8-11. If a student of a Russian higher educational institution enters an American university, instead of the SAT results, he must submit a certificate from his university, indicating the number of hours and grades for the disciplines passed. At the same time, American universities are only interested in exam results, credits are not accepted.
Sports achievements
Of course, the main criterion for the selection of athletic students is their sports achievements, reflected in a special athletic resume. Specialists of the Global Dialog company will help you to compile this document competently.
How does Global Dialogue help in obtaining sports scholarships?
The procedure for obtaining a sports scholarship with the help of Global Dialog is as follows:
At the preliminary stage, the company's specialists get acquainted with the athlete and his parents, analyze his chances of obtaining funding: which universities should be chosen, what type of scholarship awaits the student.
After the acquaintance has taken place, the athlete receives instructions detailing what documents he needs to collect and how to complete them correctly so that the Global Dialogue manager can continue to work. Instructions from Global Dialog include:
an example of a resume detailing sports results;
instructions for shooting video (if necessary) - requirements for length, plot, etc.;
SAT and TOEFL registration information;
instruction on school documents;
instructions for registration in athletic associations.
If the applicant is in Moscow, then the Global Dialog specialist will fill in and send the documents. If the applicant lives in another region, then the manager of the company advises the client on sending papers.
Having received all the necessary papers from the athlete, as well as copies of Russian and foreign passports, Global Dialog compiles the client's athletic profile and sends it to the database of university coaches.
After receiving several answers, the student receives the contacts of the trainers and enters into correspondence with them. After talking with the athlete, the coach decides whether he is ready to take this person to his team, and if so, on what conditions (amount and type of scholarship).
While the applicant is in correspondence with the coaches, Global Dialogue finds out the specific requirements for applicants-athletes in selected universities. At the same stage, the athlete begins preparing for the test.
When the tests are passed, the student finally decides on the university to which he will go, submits an application for admission and signs a contract for a scholarship.
Finally, having received an i-20 (a document confirming admission to the university), with the help of the Global Dialog manager, the athlete issues a student visa and goes to study.
After receiving an Athletic Scholarship
An Athletic Scholarship is one of the most stable forms of funding available to an American university student. Unlike an academic scholarship, which can be lost for absenteeism or poor progress, a sports scholarship is allocated for the entire period of study at the university - 4 years, and it is quite difficult to lose it. As a rule, athletes are deprived of funding only for flagrant violations of the terms of the contract.
Athletes are allowed to miss classes during away games, and if performance drops due to competition, they offer free tutoring. Foreign athletes are also helped to learn the language and make a simplified schedule. By the way, if an athlete gets injured that does not allow him to continue playing for the team, the university will pay for the treatment. The scholarship will continue to be paid for the entire remaining period of study - these are the conditions of the athletic contract.
In addition, sports at the university open up excellent prospects for professional development for the graduate. After graduation, an athlete who has proven himself in intercollegiate competitions can continue his sports career or choose to work as a coach.
From time to time big schools such as these will have a tradition of having ‘tryouts’ for 1-2 walk-ons, but you must understand if you would become such a walk-on there is a chance you would never see any actual playing time.
If you fall outside of these marks it doesn’t mean you can’t play at that level only that it might be more difficult.
It could result in moving onto a better summer league team or gaining insight about recruiting experiences.
In NCAA Division 1, student-athletes receive headcount scholarships, which are full rides. In other words, coaches award exactly 13 full ride scholarships to 13 athletes, and they can’t distribute that money any other way. At the Division 2, NAIA and JUCO levels, college coaches offer equivalency scholarships. Coaches are given a pool of scholarship funds and they can distribute it to as many athletes as they want. Therefore, depending on the program, some athletes will receive partial scholarships at these levels. 
That’s why AAU is so popular among top-tier programs—it provides recruits with a chance to play at the national level. However, this level of AAU is the most expensive as recruits are often required to travel to several tournaments. While club basketball can help, it isn’t a necessary requirement to securing a scholarship. Varsity high school teams can also offer great competitive opportunities.
There’s one caveat—camps at a Division 1 school tend to invite Division 2 or 3 coaches to attend, as well, but more likely than not, no other Division 1 programs will be in attendance. Make sure to attend camps at schools that are at the top of the target list.
Despite what families may think, coaches don’t simply discover recruits. Unless they’re one of the very best players in the country, recruits need to do some work to get noticed by college coaches. This is especially important in basketball where student-athletes are still allowed to talk to coaches via phone when they’re the ones initiating the contact. Don’t sit around: research, email and call coaches.
From NCAA Division 1 to JUCO, there are 32,890 men’s basketball athletes across 2,009 programs. The odds of a high school basketball player making a Division 1 basketball roster is 105:1, and the odds of a high school basketball player making any college roster is 18:1.
Basketball players on NCAA Division 1 teams who aren’t on a scholarship are called walk-ons. Some Division 1 schools hold tryouts where they bring on one to two walk-ons. But these players typically never see any actual playing time. Plus, recruits could be competing against an athlete who already has an established relationship with the college coach—some coaches will recruit walk-ons for their team, known as a “preferred walk-on.”
team size: 16 
Elite Division 1 athletes rank nationally, such as making the ESPN Top 150 list. Less than one percent of high school athletes go on to play Division 1 basketball. 
Then—and we can’t reiterate this enough—they need to contact college coaches. Send them an introductory email, follow up when it’s relevant and let coaches know when they’ll be calling. Basketball is unique in that student-athletes and coaches can talk via phone when the recruit initiates the contact. So, coaches aren’t allowed to call recruits, but if the student-athlete puts the work in and reaches out to them by phone, coaches can talk to them. If student-athletes aren’t hearing back, they might be reaching out to programs that aren’t an athletic fit. This is when families can lean on their high school or club coach to help them build a list of realistic target schools.
Unlike NCAA Division 1, these are equivalency scholarships: college coaches receive a pool of athletic aid and they decide how many athletes receive athletic scholarships. Therefore, some players will be offered partial scholarships instead of full rides.
Typically, to make the most of their recruiting efforts, coaches award multiple athletes on their team with partial scholarships. That does mean, however, that some student-athletes need to supplement with other types of aid, such as academic scholarships and need-based aid.
Think about it this way—coaches are going to prioritize scholarships to their strongest players, so student-athletes need to find programs where they can make an impact right away. If a recruit’s athletic ability doesn’t quite match up, the coach is less inclined to offer a scholarship opportunity. 
Logan (IL), Casper (WY), Odessa (TX), Northwest Florida State (FL), Chipola (FL), South Plains (TX) 
For example, a Division 2 coach is allowed to offer a maximum of 10 scholarships per team, but their budget may only allow for seven. So the best way to fully understand your financial aid package opportunities is to connect directly with a college coach at a program you’re interested in—and the same goes for Division 3. Even though D3 coaches can’t award athletic scholarships, they can still work with the admissions department to create appealing aid packages for student-athletes.
An important point: it should be remembered that there are a lot of people who want to get a scholarship, so coaches receive dozens, if not hundreds, of such letters a day. Therefore, you should not bet on one specialist. 
The main requirement is to collect the required number of hours for each of the groups of disciplines. Thus, students of different grades of higher education can sit in one lesson. 
However, in practice, it is quite difficult for a student over 23 years old to receive a scholarship. The optimal age of the applicant is from 15 to 20 years. We highly recommend you start looking for a scholarship in 2 years before graduation or in the 1-2 year of study at a Russian university - this significantly increases the chances of finding the best option and calmly preparing for passing all the necessary tests. 
From a graduate of a Russian school, you will need the result of the SAT academic test, a certificate, as well as a list of grades for grades 8-11. If a student of a Russian higher educational institution enters an American university, instead of the SAT results, he must submit a certificate from his university, indicating the number of hours and grades for the disciplines passed. At the same time, American universities are only interested in exam results, credits are not accepted. 
Unlike an academic scholarship, which can be lost for absenteeism or poor progress, a sports scholarship is allocated for the entire period of study at the university - 4 years, and it is quite difficult to lose it. As a rule, athletes are deprived of funding only for flagrant violations of the terms of the contract. 
